‘Big’ Airmen mentor ‘littles’ for a day

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class John Linzmeier
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Buses filled with children lined up outside a hangar here to deliver 'littles' to their 'bigs' for a day, as part of a youth-mentoring event held, Aug. 8.

More than 60 youths from the Sedgwick County chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters interacted with Airmen from across the wing.

The 349th Air Refueling Squadron organized several activities for kids to explore with their 'big.' Hands-on tours through a KC-135R Stratotanker, ambulance, Humvee, firefighting simulator, and a military working dog demonstration were among the static displays offered to the children for touring.

"The kids always have fun at McConnell," said Shelly Chinberg, Big Brothers, Big Sisters Sedwick County area director. "It's been such a great opportunity for them to learn, grow and have a chance to get matched with a big."

Big for a day is hosted annually, however, the BBBS' program is active throughout the year, assigning mentors to spend time with youths who are facing adversity in their personal lives.

"Some of these kids may not have even thought this was possible - to come onto a military base and have a chance to meet folks who might want to start becoming their big," said Lt. Col. Stephen Matthews, 349th ARS commander.

The visitors, ages 7 to 14, are among the 500 who are on the waiting list to be matched with a mentor. Chinberg said that at any given time, approximately 100 mentors from Team McConnell are spending time with youths on a regular basis.

After a lunch break with their bigs, the littles explored the Robert J. Dole Community Center gym and later regrouped for an honor guard demonstration, followed by a Q-and-A session with Col. Jennifer Uptmor, 22nd Operations Group commander.

While the event was held so that Airmen may have an impact on the lives of children, Matthews believes the opposite also took place.

"Everybody had lots of fun," he said. "Being in the military is something a lot of us take for granted, and watching those kids get excited about our everyday jobs helped our Airmen realize how fortunate they really are. Once that sunk in with our Airmen, smiles were on their faces even more-so than the kids."